Tribal travails
12 years, 6 months ago

Tribal travails

The Hindu  

A useful analytical framework to study the deprivation and development of Adivasis in the larger Indian context. Despite post-Independence India having aimed at both integrating the tribes into Indian society while also protecting and safeguarding their distinct social and cultural identity, the nature of the development pursued in tribal areas has consisted of expropriating the tribal people of their land, forest and other resources in the name of national and regional development. The most important impact of such development has been the drastic change in the relationship of tribal communities with the natural environment, that is, land, forest, minerals and other resources. Instead of showing greater sensitivity to Adivasis relationship with their land, the creation of Jharkhand has only made things worse; the State government has signed as many as 74 memorandums of understanding with industries promising them large chunks of Adivasi lands without either seeking the Adivasis consent or even consulting them as required under the Panchayat Act of 1996. Brigitte Leduc and Dhrupad Choudharys chapter discusses the poor understanding of indigenous peoples management of forests, land and natural resources and the negative impacts of government policies aimed at replacing shifting cultivation with settled cultivation.

India Women Development Change Land Tribal Indigenous People Naga Chapter Adivasi Deprivation Adivasis Exclusion  development  deprivation  change  adivasis  land  exclusion  travails  tribal  chapter  women  adivasi

History of this topic

sudipta datta on two books by malli gandhi and Krishnopriyo Bhattacharya that shine a light on marginalised tribal communities and their predicaments
3 weeks, 5 days ago

sudipta datta on two books by malli gandhi and Krishnopriyo Bhattacharya that shine a light on marginalised tribal communities and their predicaments

The Hindu  

The Anthropological Survey of India and Tribal Research Institutes recently announced that after a three-year study, they had managed to categorise 268 denotified, semi-nomadic, and nomadic tribes across the country, recommending the inclusion of 179 of these communities on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes lists. Malli Gandhi, in his new book, Tribes of South India, lays down …

Ethnographic documentation of five tribal communities in T.N. to begin soon
1 month ago

Ethnographic documentation of five tribal communities in T.N. to begin soon

The Hindu  

To preserve and promote languages and rich cultural heritage of tribal communities living in Tamil Nadu, the Department of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, under its flagship Tholkudi scheme, has issued guidelines for ethnographic documentation of five Scheduled Tribe communities. In the 2024-25 budget, the State government allocated ₹2 crore for a project to create digital records of the language …

Telangana: Adivasis Protest for Action on Pending Tribal Welfare Issues
2 months ago

Telangana: Adivasis Protest for Action on Pending Tribal Welfare Issues

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad:Adivasis held a dharna seeking ROFR documents and sought a road map for the same as promised by the government. Addressing the dharna near Indira Park here, Telangana Tribal Sangham state president Midiam Babu Rao, former Bhadrachalam MP, said, “Gutti koya tribals in Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts are not getting caste certificates and are thus not able to avail …

INTERVIEW | Opinions and Aspirations of Local Tribal Communities Must be Respected: T.S. Singh Deo
3 months ago

INTERVIEW | Opinions and Aspirations of Local Tribal Communities Must be Respected: T.S. Singh Deo

The Hindu  

Published : Dec 26, 2024 20:03 IST - 8 MINS READ Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, T.S. In the past, Singh Deo has consistently stood up for the rights of rural communities, even challenging his own party’s government, led by Bhupesh Baghel, whenever necessary. He accused the previous Bhupesh Baghel government of neglecting tribal people’s …

The original people
4 months, 1 week ago

The original people

Times of India  

The indigenous, often courted for votes in India, want both inclusion & autonomy Jharkhand, where the first-phase polling happens today, has seen fierce competition for tribal votes. Parties have variously invoked tribal rights to jal, jangal and zameen, a distinct religious and cultural identity under the Sarna code, or their fear of being engulfed by ‘outsiders’. In India, indigenous people …

Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare dept to launch policy framework to safeguard languages of tribals in TN
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare dept to launch policy framework to safeguard languages of tribals in TN

New Indian Express  

CHENNAI: The Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department will soon introduce a policy framework to safeguard the languages of tribal communities in the state. The conference, held in collaboration with the Madras School of Social Work, deliberated on preservation and promotion of tribal cultural heritage, with an emphasis on tribal languages. This initiative follows the announcement in Assembly that linguistic …

World Adivasi Day: Chandrababu Naidu promises steps to ensure ‘zero poverty’ among tribals in Andhra Pradesh
7 months, 2 weeks ago

World Adivasi Day: Chandrababu Naidu promises steps to ensure ‘zero poverty’ among tribals in Andhra Pradesh

The Hindu  

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asserted that his government will take steps for comprehensive development of tribal people in the State in the next five years. “The State government will focus on the tribal welfare schemes and programmes, which were either discontinued, or watered down during the YSR Congress Party term,” Mr. Naidu said while participating in …

Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of making Adivasis homeless as yatra enters Maharashtra
1 year ago

Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of making Adivasis homeless as yatra enters Maharashtra

The Hindu  

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of taking away “jal, jungle, and jamin” from tribals and transferring them to two corporate entities, making the Adivasis homeless. “Our party’s government would carry out a caste census and an economic and financial survey, and also strengthen the Forest Rights Act that was ‘weakened’ under the BJP …

BJP wants to confine tribal people to forests, deprive them: Rahul Gandhi
1 year, 2 months ago

BJP wants to confine tribal people to forests, deprive them: Rahul Gandhi

The Hindu  

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on January 19 alleged that the BJP wants to confine tribal people to forests and deprive them of education and other opportunities. Addressing his first public meeting in Assam as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Mr. Gandhi claimed the Congress recognises the rights of 'adivasis' over resources as first dwellers. The BJP calls you …

Promotion of Tribal Cultural Heritage and its importance to decolonisation and nation building: How the Modi govt has taken strides in this direction
1 year, 5 months ago

Promotion of Tribal Cultural Heritage and its importance to decolonisation and nation building: How the Modi govt has taken strides in this direction

Op India  

India is home to a diverse array of tribal communities, each with its distinct languages, customs, and traditions, contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of the nation. As an environmental activist and ecofeminist, Dr. Vandana Shiva once said, “The heartbeat of our land is echoed in the rhythms of Adivasi cultures, enriching our diversity and teaching us the value of …

Mohan Guruswamy | Adivasis, the first Indians, cheated by Constitution?
1 year, 7 months ago

Mohan Guruswamy | Adivasis, the first Indians, cheated by Constitution?

Deccan Chronicle  

Tribal people, who account for 8.6 per cent of India’s population, about 110 million people, can be broadly classified into three groupings. Late Prof. Nihar Ranjan Ray, one of our most distinguished historians, described the Central Indian Adivasis as “the original autochthonous people of India”, meaning that their presence in India pre-dated by far the Dravidians, the Aryans and whoever …

Enduring Poverty & Land Dispossession, Adivasis Must be Empowered for Self-rule
1 year, 10 months ago

Enduring Poverty & Land Dispossession, Adivasis Must be Empowered for Self-rule

The Quint  

CORO, which builds agency by developing leaders within marginalised communities, is another example. CORO’s fellowship programme strengthens individual identity and supports fellows to act as agents of change. Since 2008, CORO’s fellowship programme has trained 1,300 grassroots leaders, who have reached an estimated 2.5 million people. Ekta Parishad and CORO are just two examples of programmes that strengthen the voice …

Tribal communities identify 5 goals as imperative for their welfare
2 years, 2 months ago

Tribal communities identify 5 goals as imperative for their welfare

The Hindu  

The tribal communities in Mysuru district have identified 5 goals as ‘’imperative’’ for their collective welfare and have sounded the government about it. The tribal community leaders from Budakkatu Krishikara Sangha, Adivasi Mahila Sangha, and Development through Education of Hunsur said they have submitted what they envisage to be their priority goals and want the government to prepare an action …

Health as a human right for India’s tribal communities
2 years, 3 months ago

Health as a human right for India’s tribal communities

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization Constitution and Article 25 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights consider the highest possible achievable standard of health as a fundamental right of every individual. Tribal communities residing in hard to reach areas are displaced from their land, deprived of forest produce, have low literacy and financial poverty, and poor access to the …

Gujarat Assembly elections | ‘Adivasi’ or ‘Vanvasi’? Row over title puts tribes in political spotlight
2 years, 3 months ago

Gujarat Assembly elections | ‘Adivasi’ or ‘Vanvasi’? Row over title puts tribes in political spotlight

The Hindu  

Words are politically weighted, and an example of that is playing out between the BJP and the Congress’ war over just how to refer to India’s tribal communities, as “Adivasi” according to the Congress or “Vanvasi” as per the Sangh Parivar. Mr. Gandhi also said that the Sangh Parivar’s terming of tribal communities as “Vanvasis” was to confine the identity …

Study looks into status of tribal communities at an all-India level and in central India
2 years, 3 months ago

Study looks into status of tribal communities at an all-India level and in central India

The Hindu  

The Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation, an independent society set up under the Ministry of Rural Development, on Monday released a first-of-its-kind Tribal Development Report-2022, which, over two volumes, looks at the status of tribal communities at an all-India level and in central India with respect to livelihoods, agriculture, natural resources, economy, migration, governance, human development, gender, health, education, art, and …

Stressing Gender, Health, Education, Economy, Govt Body to Release First-Ever Report on Tribals Today
2 years, 3 months ago

Stressing Gender, Health, Education, Economy, Govt Body to Release First-Ever Report on Tribals Today

News 18  

From macro-economics to hunger, malnutrition, gender parity and accessing land resources, the first-ever report on tribal communities to be released on Monday by the Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation maps the lives of scheduled tribes in the country post 1996 when they were granted Panchayat and forest rights and the post-pandemic impact on migrant lives. Minister of tribal affairs Arjun Munda …

Address issues faced by tribals: Seethakka
2 years, 7 months ago

Address issues faced by tribals: Seethakka

Deccan Chronicle  

WARANGAL: People belonging to tribal communities were the poorest ethnic groups in the society, said All India Congress Committee women’s wing general-secretary and MLA Seethakka, and appealed to the officials concerned, especially those of the forest department, to understand their problems and resolve them. Seethakka participated in the World Tribal Day celebrations organised by Thudum Debba and hoisted the Adivasi …

KCR greets tribals on World Adivasi Day
2 years, 7 months ago

KCR greets tribals on World Adivasi Day

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao extended greetings to Adivasis and tribals of the state on the occasion of World Adivasi Day on August 9. In a media statement on Monday, the CM said that Adivasis were the symbol of love and affection and untainted human relations and the state government was implementing several programmes their welfare and development. It …

Tribal women have a significant role in India’s transformation
2 years, 7 months ago

Tribal women have a significant role in India’s transformation

Hindustan Times  

As we stand at the threshold of India’s 75th Independence day, it is a good time to reflect on how we can accelerate achieving its Sustainable Development Goals and transformation. Tribal women, comprising 47% of India’s tribal population, are deeply connected to their communities and possess a profound understanding of their ecosystem. Studies have shown that tribal women, as culture …

Odisha's tribal groups make remarkable progress during Naveen Patnaik's tenure
2 years, 10 months ago

Odisha's tribal groups make remarkable progress during Naveen Patnaik's tenure

The Hindu  

Empowerment is a multidimensional social process aimed at increasing the spiritual, political, social and economic strength of individuals as well as communities and also enabling individuals to develop confidence in their own capacities and act on their priorities. The last two decades have been a watershed in tribal empowerment in Odisha because of the changing political scenario, inclusive pro-tribals policy …

Nidhi Dugar Kundalia's White as Milk and Rice chronicles lives of India's isolated tribes battling identity conflict
4 years, 11 months ago

Nidhi Dugar Kundalia's White as Milk and Rice chronicles lives of India's isolated tribes battling identity conflict

Firstpost  

In her book White as Milk and Rice: Stories of India’s Isolated Tribes, author Nidhi Dugar Kundalia records the ways of life of six tribes in modern-day India, as they navigate a hyper-globalised world, dealing with issues of identity and access to resources. Today, five decades later, as Nidhi Dugar Kundalia records the life of Birsu, a woman of Bastar’s …

Call For Papers: Seminar On Empowerment Of Tribal Women At NLIU, Bhopal
5 years, 3 months ago

Call For Papers: Seminar On Empowerment Of Tribal Women At NLIU, Bhopal

Live Law  

The National Law Institute University, Bhopal aims to organize a two-day National Seminar on Empowerment of Tribal Women in India: Issues, Challenges and Perspectives from 7th – 8th March 2020. The event is Themes Customary Laws and Tribal Women Gender injustice and Human Rights of Tribal Women Tribal Women and Forest-based Economy Panchayat Raj Institutions and Tribal Women Education, Health …

Adivasis and the Indian State: Tribals' philosophy of collectivism is humanity's best chance to end cycle of exploitation
5 years, 6 months ago

Adivasis and the Indian State: Tribals' philosophy of collectivism is humanity's best chance to end cycle of exploitation

Firstpost  

It is the Adivasi philosophy of collectivism, being one with the nature and all its elements, which will ultimately end the cycle of exploitation Editor’s Note: In this eighteen-part series, we will attempt to address the tropes associated with the communities in question from an Adivasi perspective while also exploring the contemporary relationship of Adivasi citizens with the Indian government. …

Adivasis and the Indian State: Overcoming financial constraints, facing social hostility — what 'education' means for four tribal students
5 years, 6 months ago

Adivasis and the Indian State: Overcoming financial constraints, facing social hostility — what 'education' means for four tribal students

Firstpost  

Editor’s Note: In this eighteen-part series, we will attempt to address the tropes associated with the communities in question from an Adivasi perspective while also exploring the contemporary relationship of Adivasi citizens with the Indian government. *** The following is a compilation of personal narratives of adivasi students, where they speak about how they view their educational journey and their …

Adivasis And The Indian State: Successive govts distorted Tribal Sub Plan policy, denied community fair share of budgetary reserves
5 years, 6 months ago

Adivasis And The Indian State: Successive govts distorted Tribal Sub Plan policy, denied community fair share of budgetary reserves

Firstpost  

Editor’s Note: In this eighteen-part series, we will attempt to address the tropes associated with the communities in question from an Adivasi perspective while also exploring the contemporary relationship of Adivasi citizens with the Indian government. The Tribal Sub Plan was an important financial policy aimed for targeted planning of financial allocations and expenditures, with the specific objective of bridging …

Adivasis and the Indian State: Stereotyped as 'primitive' and 'savage', tribal communities fight for right to choose social, cultural, land-owning systems
5 years, 7 months ago

Adivasis and the Indian State: Stereotyped as 'primitive' and 'savage', tribal communities fight for right to choose social, cultural, land-owning systems

Firstpost  

Adivasis or indigenous people are the descendants of those who inhabited the region since before the time when people of different cultures and geographical regions arrived. Colonial rule in India produced several policies and legislations aiming to “civilise” the “savage and uncivilised” Adivasi communities; in effect invalidating our knowledge systems, our way of life, and our existence. Under the garb …

How one woman’s mission to help indigenous Indians backfired into post-empire soul-searching
5 years, 11 months ago

How one woman’s mission to help indigenous Indians backfired into post-empire soul-searching

The Independent  

I came to India, seduced by the vivid, parched, colours, the thick hot air, the cows chewing cud in the street. Moved by the Adivasis’ plight, I began to direct an exciting art project that would open the Adivasis’ culture and build an awareness of their ancient traditions and self-resilience. open image in gallery Villagers washing clothes – no one …

In Jharkhand, a tribal assertion met with fierce police crackdown
6 years, 5 months ago

In Jharkhand, a tribal assertion met with fierce police crackdown

Al Jazeera  

Authorities say they are legally acquiring land to be used for ‘development’ projects, but villagers tell another story. {articleGUID} But he said police had filed several criminal cases against the farmers because they were “not allowing the administration’s movement in the area”. The officials told us they were acquiring land for a 'Knowledge City'., but now they have stated that …

Chhattisgarh battles high poverty levels as creation of state 'for tribals' does little to benefit community
6 years, 9 months ago

Chhattisgarh battles high poverty levels as creation of state 'for tribals' does little to benefit community

Firstpost  

Raipur: A state supposedly meant for tribals, by tribals and of tribals, created by the BJP and ruled by it since 2003, is today showing record poverty levels among the tribals who make up one-third of the state’s population. While the state’s per capita income increased by 14 percent during 2012-2017, a higher percentage of people are now below the …

In a Poor Country, India’s Scheduled Tribes Are the Poorest
7 years ago

In a Poor Country, India’s Scheduled Tribes Are the Poorest

The Quint  

Wealth brackets in NFHS-4 are calculated on the basis of the numbers and kinds of consumer goods owned, ranging from a television to a bicycle or car, housing and markers such as the source of drinking water used, toilet facilities, and flooring material used in homes. Scheduled tribes comprise 8% of India’s population – 104 million as per the 2011 …

Adivasi unrest: What is to be done?
7 years, 3 months ago

Adivasi unrest: What is to be done?

Deccan Chronicle  

There is a huge groundswell of unrest sweeping the adivasi areas of Central India. The Fifth Schedule provides protection to the adivasi people living in the scheduled areas from alienation of their lands and natural resources to non-tribals. The Fifth Schedule covers tribal areas in nine states of India — namely Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, …

As Adivasis ignored, rage is brewing
7 years, 3 months ago

As Adivasis ignored, rage is brewing

Deccan Chronicle  

The Adivasi homelands are restive. Tribal people account for 8.2 per cent of India’s population. The other two major groups are the Caucasoid tribes who migrated into northwestern India, and the Sino-Tibetan or Mongoloid tribal people of the Himalayan and northeastern regions who migrated more recently. Central India is home to the country’s largest Adivasi tribes, and, taken as a …

Gondwana: The homeland of Adivasis
7 years, 3 months ago

Gondwana: The homeland of Adivasis

Deccan Chronicle  

The scion of the former Gond kings of Chandagarh or Chandrapur, now in Maharashtra, Birshah Atram, was recently visiting the Gond homelands in the former composite Adilabad district to meet his kinsmen in the various garhis in the region. He believes that the Centre needs to implement the constitutional provisions and promises made in the Constituent Assembly by recognising the …

The lost tribes of India: For vulnerable indigenous communities, is integration the only answer?
7 years, 4 months ago

The lost tribes of India: For vulnerable indigenous communities, is integration the only answer?

Firstpost  

It’s a familiar story around the world — tribal communities being pushed out of their land and livelihoods, murdered, or plundered and left to fend for themselves, without help. “In the case of vulnerable groups such as tribals, the burden and impact of displacement is the most pronounced,” says Mohanty, who has worked with India’s tribal communities for many years …

Get inspired by our rich past
8 years, 5 months ago

Get inspired by our rich past

The Hindu  

In nearly every culture, there exists the notion that cultural refinement is city-based. They spread across the Indian subcontinent; living in forested hills far away from the plains and viewing their forest homes as sacred. Many years ago, when social worker Sudha Murthy visited a tribal settlement in Karnataka, she spoke with an elder of the community. Many art forms …

Why tribals need a Mayawati: Atrocities on adiwasis don’t bother urban India
8 years, 7 months ago

Why tribals need a Mayawati: Atrocities on adiwasis don’t bother urban India

Firstpost  

What is needed is for tribals to have their own strong leaders and politicians-activists to ensure that they are heard and justice is done to them too. In fact, atrocities on tribals in MP, Odisha or Jharkhand, fail to evoke strong reaction from the political class and mostly the tribal victim’s voice fails to reach the national level. Lack of …

Malnutrition continues to stalk tribal children
10 years, 9 months ago

Malnutrition continues to stalk tribal children

The Hindu  

A year after a large number of child deaths were reported from Attappady owing to malnutrition, an official survey held in the past two weeks has found that 572 children below the age of five in the tribal belt still remain malnourished. The report, submitted to the Central and State governments on Friday, was prepared after health workers under the …

75 pc of tribal children lagging behind in education: Survey
11 years, 1 month ago

75 pc of tribal children lagging behind in education: Survey

India TV News  

Bundi: A recent survey conducted by Indian Council of Social Sciences Research has revealed that 75 per cent tribal children in 22 districts of Rajasthan are lagging behind in education and tribal girls are no more enrolling in schools. The samples of the survey which started in September last year, pictured a grim educational level of the tribal children with …

Victims of development
12 years, 2 months ago

Victims of development

The Hindu  

Infused by his activist, non-neutral perspective, Kela narrates the historical roots of the Adivasis predicament today. A number of relevant aspects are described: the political and economic differences amongst various subdivisions of the Bhils inhabiting different parts of the central Indian hills and valleys; the long history of conscious autonomy and relative independence from surrounding peasant societies and kingdoms in …

'Policymakers should ensure tribals get benefits of resources'
12 years, 3 months ago

'Policymakers should ensure tribals get benefits of resources'

India TV News  

New Delhi, Nov 28: Union Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar today stressed on the need to ensure that tribals get due benefits of natural resources as they are preservers of these assets. “Tribals are the preservers of natural resources and policymakers should make sure that they receive the benefits of these resources.We cannot neglect tribals in our growth policy,” the Minister …

‘Adivasis most civilised people’
12 years, 5 months ago

‘Adivasis most civilised people’

The Hindu  

Renowned writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi termed Adivasis as “the most civilised people” to whom Indian forests, rivers and mountains owe their survival. Addressing students at the University of Hyderabad here on Monday, she attributed whatever natural balance left to survive in India to the presence of Adivasis. Referring to the Telangana struggle, she said she has always been …

'There you go!': a satire on tribal struggles
14 years, 1 month ago

'There you go!': a satire on tribal struggles

The Hindu  

The briefcase-wielding officials in Oren Ginzburg's satirical cartoon series ‘There you go!' Ginzburg's little book will bring a wry smile to the lips of anyone familiar with tribal peoples' struggles to keep their land, from the rainforests of Borneo to the sands of the Kalahari. It cleverly exposes the motives that too often lie behind attempts to ‘ develop' tribal …

Tribal travails
20 years, 5 months ago

Tribal travails

The Hindu  

Thank you for highlighting the travails of tribal people through the cover story. Sheojee SinghChandigarh * * * Politicians are pursuing caste and communal politics and trying to outwit one another but have no time to address the concerns of the hapless tribal people. In spite of all the safeguards provided to them by the Constitution, Central and State laws, …

In search of an identity
22 years, 1 month ago

In search of an identity

The Hindu  

Jharkhand: Politics of Development and Identity by Amit Prakash; Orient Longman, Hyderabad, 2001; pages 382, Rs.525. The structure of `internal' exploitation, where Indians also exploited the people of the Jharkhand region in the colonial past, has been brilliantly portrayed in Mrinal Sen's Mrigaya. Premised within such a framework, Prakash studies Jharkhand, which has a large Adivasi and unevenly distributed Dalit …

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